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Yogi hits lights at Empire State Building

Yogi hits lights at Empire State Building

NEW YORK - Three elevator rides, 86 floors and 1,050 feet later, there Yogi Berra was, in the observatory floor of the Empire State Building, admiring the breathtaking view of New York City.

"You could see everything," Berra, the Hall of Fame Yankees catcher, said Friday morning.

At dusk, Berra and those in the area will be able to see red, white and blue lights at the top of the building, as Berra helped celebrate All-Star Week by pulling a lever at a ceremony to officially turn on the lights.

"It's fitting that it be in red, white and blue, both because that's the color of our silhouetted batter on our logo, and it represents baseball as our national pastime," said Bob DuPuy, president and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball.

As All-Star week progresses, so does baseball's stamp on the city, as there are All-Star-themed Statue of Liberty replicas across New York, in addition to community events throughout the week.

"New York City being what it is -- the greatest, largest, best city in the world -- and with the All-Star Game being played in the most storied sports venue in the world, Yankee Stadium, we wanted to celebrate as many of the iconic locations in New York City for the All-Star Game," DuPuy said.

Added Jim Connors, general manager of the Empire State Building: "This is the first time that the All-Star Game is held in a stadium seeing its last season, and we at the Empire State Building are very proud to be playing a role in saying goodbye to Yankee Stadium."

It was also the first time Berra went that high in the building.

"Never [before]," Berra said. "I went to the third floor maybe."

Willie Bans is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.